b'CONCESSIONSONT 29From that conversation, ONT decided to give the Fuse method a shot, and considered the first year a test run. Elkadi describes the results that have transpired as nothing less than astounding.There are companies that are advertising in our terminals we never thought would ever consider being in there, from Audi and Porsche to Sammy Hagars Santo Tequila, he relates. And those are all because of Fuse and their relationships. Once we got that momentum built, we just capitalized on it, and it just took off from there.Spirited BeginningSanto Spirits, a business collaboration between rock musician Sammy Hagar, television chef/restaurateur Guy Fieri and one other owner, is a prime example of ONTs new relationship-oriented approach. Jacobson leveraged his pre-existing relationship with the third partner of the alcoholic beverage company to approach the company about advertising at ONT.Sammy [Hagar] is from the Inland Empire and calls the Ontario International Airport his home airport, Jacobson explains. But when the advertising consultant approached partners and continue building those relationships even as the advertising is going up within our terminal, says Elkadi. Fuses focus has been finding the relationship, building the relationship and helping us sustain it. That is really where the genesis of all of this came about. It is a completely different mindset.Test RunThe team at ONT connected with Scott Jacobson, founder and chief executive of Fuse, during the throes of COVID, when passengers were by and large not traveling.Based on what Scott saw at different airports during his travels, he approached us with the idea of taking a look at relationships a little bit differently, Elkadi recalls. We decidedSCOTT JACOBSONif there was any time to try something new and different, this would be the time. AirportImprovement.comJanuary | February 2023'